Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-11-04

OuaieSi 10 aehluS nun luC Ototc d ucW COu-
tract, and both parties must then agree upon
its terms. The only security we want>in
this connection is an honest legislature, nee
from the corrupting influences of the lobby
ring of the State, and this the people can Sc.
cure as well under the present as under any
future Constitution.
As to the necessity for a provision that
no railroad or telegraph company chartered
by this State should sell out to a competing
line, or, as Mr.. German says, to any other
company Now what is the necessity for
such provision. You can now by legisla-
tive enactment insert provision of this
character in any charter hereafter to be
granted, or in any existing charter which is
subject To repeal So that in all these mat
tiers the Legislature under the present Con.
stitution is fully competent to protect the
interests of the State and the people.
AS to the necessity that a provision should
be inserted authorizing sale of the Chesa-
peake 81 Ohio Canal by somebody-the
Board of Public Works or Mr.. German
without the sanction of subsequent legis-
lature in order to protect that work from
ruin, is simply ridiculous, as is also his argu.
ment, that in the present state Of the organic
law the mortgages can sell the canal and
the State will be poweress to protect its
interest by becoming bidder, and citing the
case Of farmer having mortgage on bis
farm and being prohibited from bidding on
it at a mortgage sale, leaving him at the
mercy of rapacious neighbor who coveted
the property. Now, the truth is that de-
linnpent .dehtes- haaJnav .riqsAt oaz|ea
own property either at mortgage or judg
ment sale Why should be have ? He car
relieve it from the encumbrance of the deb,
4 by paying it, and il he has not the money
TO pay the debt then he can not be bona
fide bidder at the sale of his own property
His bidding would only delay and hindel
his creditors But the States interest In
this work is better protected than any other
interest in encountered property we know
of, because it requires the sanction of sub
sequent legislature, that is of the State itself
before its interest can be disposed of. The
owner of the interest can itself say whether
it shall be sold or not Mr.. German further
says that the canal is not self-sustainine
and must 60 anyhow We understand that
1t has been sef-sustaining until the last two
years, and that it can be made so again by
proper business management, but if it can.
not and sale Of it should become neces.
sary we wish the provision that the sale
should be sanctioned by subsequent legis.
lature retained in order that some condition
or provision may be made in the contract O
sale whereby the people along its route may
secure railroad facilities in lieu oftheir water.
way. We do net wish 10 place in the hands
of any man or set of men the unconditional
right TO sell it.
Now, as to the partisan character Of the
Baltimore city Judiciary, of which Mr.. Cor.
man complains so bitterly Why it has but
recently been claimed by the Baltimore San
the organ of the Democratic party in the
present campaign, in answer to the charge
that Baltimore was ruled by the criminal
classes that she could look with pride to her
Judges. And this claim is sanctioned and
confirmed by every lawyer Of character and
standing in the State. 1t is true they have
| done much TO correct ballotbox stuffing
and election frauds and sent several corrupt
officials and straighteut criminals to prison
but surely this should not bring upon them
the charge of partisanship.
We think we have carefully reviewed all
that Mr.. German said here on the subject Of
the call of Constitutional Convention, ex.
cept that he said that Democrats ought to
vote for the convention because the Repub.
licans are against il; that we ought to do
wrong in this instance because the Repub.
licans do right. About as good as the rest
of his argument.
The truth is no argument can be ad
vanced by any one showing the necessity
for the call of Constitutional Convention
The organic law under which we are now
living is about as complete and perfect as
any we are likely to get in the future from
any convention, and the fact that no sound
reason has been urged for its alteration by
the great array of talent Senator German
can command in his assault upon it is the
very strongest argument in its favor.
-----s -